Austin says ‘in no way’ was he criticising Cobblers supporters after Cheltenham defeat

Boss Dean Austin insists he didn’t criticise Cobblers supporters who booed the team during last Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Cheltenham Town at the PTS Academy Stadium.

The Town manager was not a happy man in the post-match interview as he tried to explain his team’s loss, and there was a reaction to that from some fans on social media who believed Austin criticised the supporters for having a go at the team.

There were certainly plenty of dissenting voices aimed Austin’s way from the stands and the team was booed off at the break and at full-time, but the Town boss insists he has absolutely no problem with that, stating it is ‘normal’ - even though his young son was left in tears as he had to sit in the stands and listen to his dad be abused.

The manager feels his post-match comments were ‘misinterpreted’, and what he was in fact trying to say was that his players have ‘to be able to handle’ any grief when it comes their way if they are not playing well.

“I think people have misinterpreted what I said after the game, and in no way was I having a go at the supporters,” said Austin.

“People can say I was, but they need to listen to the actual interview, and what I said was I felt our players became a bit nervous, and started playing a different game to what we had been playing, when there was some disgruntlement among the fans, but that is normal.

Our fans pay money to watch us play, and I want to try and entertain them, but along with that I want to win, and when you’re not winning games you are going to get criticised, and that is the fact of the matter. We have to be able to handle that as a group

Cobblers boss Dean Austin

“Our fans pay money to watch us play, and I want to try and entertain them, but along with that I want to win, and when you’re not winning games you are going to get criticised, and that is the fact of the matter.

“We have to be able to handle that as a group.

“It wasn’t me having a go at the supporters, although I was disappointed that my little boy came in after the game and was crying his eyes out because he heard a guy behind him slagging his dad off, but that’s football, it’s fine, my family won’t come any more.

“I know my family support me, but this is a tough job sometimes, it’s a tough environment to be in and you are going to come in for criticism and I am big enough and ugly enough to take that.